True Artificial Turf Cost Guide for Homeowners

Artificial Turf Cost Per Square Foot: Materials

Table: Artificial Turf Cost By Material (per square foot)

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‍Polypropylene turf is extremely soft to the touch but is easily damaged. Use this turf material in landscaping areas that are for show (and not for foot traffic). Polypropylene turf works well in shady locations that aren’t prone to sun damage.

Polyethylene turf is generally the most affordable turf material for homeowners. It’s an excellent choice for pet turf and playground turf. Make sure the product you choose offers good drainage to avoid soggy turf.

Nylon synthetic grass is extremely durable but lacks the softness of other materials. It’s the most expensive of your turf material options, but it’s also the most durable.  Nylon turf lasts 20+ years with proper care and lawn maintenance. 

Price out artificial grass materials in your area with a free message to HOMR!

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Artificial Grass Cost Per Square Foot: Brand Comparison

Table: Artificial Grass Material Cost by Brand (per square foot)

The #1 upfront cost factor of your artificial lawn project is brand selection. However, cheaper products have shorter lifespans. Finding the right turf brand is about balancing upfront cost with durability and low maintenance requirements.

HOMR chose ForeverLawn as a top synthetic lawn brand for 4 reasons:

1. Widely available in most parts of the United States.
2. 18 years of synthetic grass product design experience.
3. Individual product warranties on every turf product.
4. 2-year minimum installation warranty on their products. 

ForeverLawn offers excellent pet turf (K9Grass) and putting green turf (GolfGreens).

Florida and Texas Residents: , we recommend Magnolia Turf for artificial lawn installation and product selection.

Residential Artificial Turf Labor and Delivery Costs

Expect to pay roughly $3.75-$4.50 per square foot for artificial lawn installation labor. 

Pricing turf installation labor by the square foot is a more customer-friendly option than pricing by the hour. If your lawn is heavily curved or sloped, turf installation will take longer — negotiate your price by the square foot to keep costs down.

You’ll pay 15-25% more for labor if you’re installing turf in these 7 more difficult locations:

• Steep slopes
• Curved lots
• Rooftops
• Balconies
• Large backyard playgrounds
• Indoors
• Around pools

Artificial turf companies currently charge an average of  $400-$700 for delivery. 

Find a local artificial grass company that sources (or creates) its own products. You’ll save money on long delivery routes. HOMR has an internal list of artificial turf installers near you that we’re happy to share — get in touch with us.

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Save money on turf delivery — let us find the closest provider to your home!

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Other Synthetic Turf Installation Costs

Table: Other Artificial Lawn Installation Cost Factors

Weed barrier fabric stops natural grass and weeds from growing through your synthetic turf. It’s installed underneath your road base and should overlap by 6” at the seams for maximum protection.

Seam tape is a better option than nails and buried wood for stabilizing the seams of your artificial grass. Purchase 12” wide seam tape to account for the 6” overlap of weed barrier fabric in those locations.

Road base is needed underneath your artificial lawn installation. You’ll need an even ⅜” layer of gravel or crushed concrete.

Check out the outdoor design pros at Blue Fox Outdoor Living! They gave us 5 easy backyard design ideas to upgrade your outdoor living space.

How to Save Money on Residential Artificial Grass Installation

Looking to trim a little money off the edges of your artificial lawn budget? Here are 3 simple ways to save money on your turf installation project.

1. Expect a free estimate. You should receive a free estimate on your artificial grass installation project. HOMR’s featured artificial grass installers don’t charge for estimates or project quotes. 
2. Get a good warranty on your artificial lawn. Compare the prices of artificial grass materials and their warranties. Many synthetic grass products offer product warranties between 10-25 years.
3. Switch to a smart sprinkler controller. You’re already saving a ton of water usage by switching to fake grass. Save $430 a year in water bills by switching to a smart sprinkler controller for your flower beds. They only cost $199-$299 to install.

A smart artificial turf budget starts with a free quote: message us to get yours!

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Price Difference to Install Artificial Grass vs. Real Grass

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It costs about $2.50-$3 more per square foot to install artificial turf instead of natural grass. On a 1,200 square foot project, expect to pay $3,000-$3,600 more up front for turf. 

So how long will it take you to break even on artificial lawn installation and start saving money?

Magnolia Turf estimates the average American homeowner spends $189 per month on irrigation and lawn maintenance for 1,200 square feet of real grass:

• Lawn irrigation: $57 per month
• Fertilizer, chemicals and maintenance: $32 per month
• Lawn mowing: $100 per month

This means the payback period for synthetic grass installation is between 16-20 months. After that, you’ll be saving money.

‍Read 9 of our best low maintenance landscape ideas for any budget. You’ll learn some great ways to lower your landscaping maintenance and water bills.

How to Pick the Right Artificial Turf For Your Yard

Choosing the right artificial grass material for your yard is about more than pure cost. Does your artificial lawn need high durability for foot traffic and backyard sports? Are you obsessed with finding synthetic grass that looks and feels the most like real grass? Or are you installing fake grass for your pets?

Here are the best use cases for polyethylene turf, nylon, and polypropylene turf materials.

Polyethylene Turf: Best for Budgets and Pets

Pros: Polyethylene turf products are a good choice for pet turf and playground turf. Many polyethylene grass products have excellent antimicrobial and antibacterial properties — ideal for our kids and pets. Polyethylene is generally easy to clean and maintain than other turf materials.

Need fake grass for dogs? Find a polyethylene product with excellent dual drainage. Choose turf that has hole-punched perforated backing and a permeable base.

Cons: Polyethylene turf should only be used for new installations. Older polyethylene turf brands may contain lead, and they don’t provide antimicrobial protection. This means higher chance of bacterial infection on older polyethylene surfaces.

Use polyethylene turf for these 3 projects:

• Artificial grass lawn space (front yard or back yard)
• Pet turf and fake grass for dogs
• Playground turf

Everything we use around our dogs should be safe — including bug and mosquito sprays. Find out what the EPA says about using mosquito spray around dogs.

Nylon Synthetic Turf: Strong Durability for Play

Pros: Nylon artificial turf is incredibly strong. It stands up exceptionally well to heavy foot traffic and offers good resistance to sun damage. As a bonus, it also has a higher melting point than competing materials. With proper care, your nylon turf will last 20+ years.

Nylon is the best material for putting greens. It's durable and the material is consistent — your putts will remain level and foot traffic won't damage the turf over time.

Cons: Nylon isn’t a comfortable material, and you’ll find . If you have pets that romp and roll around on your fake grass, or you expect to spend a lot of time barefoot in the backyard, nylon isn't right for you.

Use nylon artificial grass for these 4 projects: 

• Backyard putting green turf
• Poolside artificial turf
• Areas with extreme heat and sun exposure
• Bocce ball court

Using nylon artificial grass to border your inground pool? Be sure to read our recommendations for local pool services and pool cleaning tips.

Polypropylene Turf: Feels Most Like Real Grass

Pros: Polypropylene turf is the cheapest option of the 3 major kinds of artificial grass. It's often the cheapest per square foot to purchase, regardless of brand. This makes it easy to cover large landscaping areas on a budget, and it feels the most like real grass.

Cons: What polypropylene saves you on budget, you lose in durability and drainage. It's not good at surviving heavy foot traffic or draining water — don't be surprised if you end up with a soggy lawn. (And if you have a dog, your yard will smell like urine.)

Use polypropylene turf for these 3 projects: 

• Large landscaping projects (where you won't be walking)
• Well-shaded areas
• Decorative indoor grass

Is your turf project over 1,000 square feet? Message us for special pricing!

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Special Considerations for Pet Turf

Pet turf selection is all about drainage quality and antibacterial properties. Choose fake grass for dogs and other pets the same way you'd choose turf in a region with heavy rainfall — you want moisture in and out of your turf as efficiently as possible.

Find a turf brand with excellent antimicrobial and antibacterial properties. Our HOMR featured partners at Magnolia Turf use Microban technology on their pet turf products.

Conclusion

The average homeowner breaks even on their artificial lawn cost after 18 months. If you have pets, kids or just hate mowing the lawn, switching to synthetic turf is a no brainer.

• Expect to pay $7-$18 per square foot to have artificial grass installed. Keep that number down by picking a local material provider.
• Budget an extra 15-25% in installation costs for complex labor around pools, rooftops, indoors or on heavily sloped and curved yards.
• Don’t forget to account for materials like weed barrier fabric, artificial grass infill and ⅜” road base.
• Choose the appropriate turf material for your yard. Nylon is durable but less comfortable. Polypropylene turf is soft but easily damaged. Polyethylene turf is inexpensive, but be highly selective about product quality.

Message us with your zip code and get a free turf quote — no obligations!

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